Patents Issued in March 21, 2017
  • Patent number: 9601115
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for handing off a user conversation between computer-implemented agents. One of the methods includes receiving, by a computer-implemented agent specific to a user device, a digital representation of speech encoding an utterance, determining, by the computer-implemented agent, that the utterance specifies a requirement to establish a communication with another computer-implemented agent, and establishing, by the computer-implemented agent, a communication between the other computer-implemented agent and the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Johnny Chen, Thomas L. Dean, Qiangfeng Peter Lau, Sudeep Gandhe, Gabriel Schine
  • Patent number: 9601116
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, at a processing system, a first signal including an output of a speaker device and an additional audio signal. The method also includes determining, by the processing system, based at least in part on a model trained to identify the output of the speaker device, that the additional audio signal corresponds to an utterance of a user. The method further includes initiating a reduction in an audio output level of the speaker device based on determining that the additional audio signal corresponds to the utterance of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Diego Melendo Casado, Ignacio Lopez Moreno, Javier Gonzalez-Dominguez
  • Patent number: 9601117
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of sharing documents during a conference call data is disclosed. One example method may include initiating a document sharing operation during a conference call conducted between at least two participants communicating during the conference call. The method may also include transferring the document from one of the two participants to another of the two participants, and recording at least one action performed to the document by the participants during the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: WEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark J. Pettay, Hendryanto Rilantono, Myron P. Sojka
  • Patent number: 9601118
    Abstract: A technique for allowing a virtual experience of more realistic live performance. A main apparatus reproduces music data and audience video data recording a video image of audience. A user holds a microphone and makes a live performance for the audience displayed on a monitor. The microphone sends voice data and motion information of the microphone to the main apparatus. The main apparatus determines that the user makes a live performance when the user calls on the audience with a specific phrase and performs an action corresponding to the specific phrase. The main apparatus reproduces reaction data recording a video image and sound indicating a reaction of the audience to the live performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: MegaChips Corporation
    Inventor: Motoyasu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9601119
    Abstract: A system and method may be provided to segment and/or classify an audio signal from transformed audio information. Transformed audio information representing a sound may be obtained. The transformed audio information may specify magnitude of a coefficient related to energy amplitude as a function of frequency for the audio signal and time. Features associated with the audio signal may be obtained from the transformed audio information. Individual ones of the features may be associated with a feature score relative to a predetermined speaker model. An aggregate score may be obtained based on the feature scores according to a weighting scheme. The weighting scheme may be associated with a noise and/or SNR estimation. The aggregate score may be used for segmentation to identify portions of the audio signal containing speech of one or more different speakers. For classification, the aggregate score may be used to determine a likely speaker model to identify a source of the sound in the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: KnuEdge Incorporated
    Inventors: David C. Bradley, Robert N. Hilton, Daniel S. Goldin, Nicholas K. Fisher, Derrick R. Roos, Eric Wiewiora
  • Patent number: 9601120
    Abstract: A working method of a sound transmission-based dynamic token comprises: a dynamic token waiting for disconnection of a key; and when the disconnection of the key is detected, judging the type of a pressed key, and performing a corresponding operation according to different types of keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Feitian Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhou Lu, Huazhang Yu
  • Patent number: 9601121
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for override vocoder capacity operating point (COP) allocation. In a particular embodiment, a method provides determining a communication load on a wireless access node. Based on the communication load, the method provides allocating a first COP for a vocoder, wherein the vocoder is used on voice communications exchanged with the wireless access node. The method further provides determining a frame error rate of a wireless communication link between a wireless communication device and the wireless access node. If the frame error rate indicates that a COP of the wireless communication link should be lower than the first COP, the method provides allocating an override COP to the COP of the wireless communication link based on the frame error rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Anoop Kumar Goyal, Jasinder Pal Singh
  • Patent number: 9601122
    Abstract: A decoding system (100) reconstructs an n-channel audio signal on the basis of an input signal (A) representing the audio signal either by parametric coding or as n discretely coded channels. Parametric decoding proceeds on the basis of a core signal and mixing parameters (a) controlling a spatial synthesis stage (150), which is supplied with a downmix signal from a downmix stage (140). A selector (170) controls the components of the decoding system, in steady-state parametric and discrete decoding mode and transitions between these. The downmix stage realizes a projection on the downmix signal based on an n-channel signal, either an n-channel input signal or a core signal padded with neutral values. The downmix stage is active in each time frame in which the input signal represents the audio signal by parametric coding and in at least the first time frame after the last time frame in each episode of parametrically coded time frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Leif Sehlstrom, Karl Jonas Roeden, Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes
  • Patent number: 9601123
    Abstract: The approach shown provides for an efficient implementation of time response, level response and frequency response alignment between two audio sources such as DAB and FM that may be time offset from each other by as much as 2 seconds, and produces an aurally undetectable transition between the sources. Computational load is significantly reduced over the approaches known in the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John Elliott Whitecar, Trudy D Stetzler
  • Patent number: 9601124
    Abstract: Acoustic matching and splicing of sound tracks is described. In one or more implementations, a method to acoustically match and splice first and second sound tracks by one or more computing devices is described. The method includes source separating the first and second sound tracks into first track primary and background sound data and second track primary and background sound data. Features extracted from the first and second primary sound data are matched, one to another, to generate first and second primary matching masks. Features extracted from the first and second background sound data are matched, one to another, to generate first and second background matching masks, which are applied to respective separated sound data. The applied first track primary and background sound data and the applied second track primary and background sound data are spliced to generate a spliced sound track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: François G. Germain, Gautham J. Mysore
  • Patent number: 9601125
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a first value of a mixing factor. The first value corresponds to a first portion of an audio signal received at an audio encoder. The method includes receiving a second value of the mixing factor. The second value corresponds to a second portion of the audio signal. The method also includes generating a third value of the mixing factor at least partially based on the first value and the second value and mixing an excitation signal with modulated noise based on the third value. Another method includes determining a first set of spectral frequency values corresponding to an audio signal and determining a second set of spectral frequency values that approximates the first set of spectral frequency values. A gain value corresponding to at least a portion of the audio signal is adjusted based on a difference between the first set and the second set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Venkatraman Srinivasa Atti, Venkatesh Krishnan
  • Patent number: 9601126
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for splitting the audio of media content into separate content files without introducing boundary artifacts is described. An exemplary method of streaming media content including audio and video involves a computing system receiving a plurality of content files and staging the encoded portion of the audio of the content files for presentation as a continuous stream. Each of the content files comprises an encoded portion of the video encoded according to a frame rate and having a fixed-time duration and an encoded portion of the audio encoded according to a codec-enforced frame size and having a plurality of full audio frames having the codec-enforced frame size. A duration of the encoded portion of the audio of one or more of the content files is greater than or less than the fixed-time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Calvin Ryan Owen
  • Patent number: 9601127
    Abstract: Vocal musical performances may be captured and, in some cases or embodiments, pitch-corrected and/or processed in accord with a user selectable vocal effects schedule for mixing and rendering with backing tracks in ways that create compelling user experiences. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured on mobile devices in the context of a karaoke-style presentation of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Such performances can be pitch-corrected in real-time at the mobile device in accord with pitch correction settings. Vocal effects schedules may also be selectively applied to such performances. In these ways, even amateur user/performers with imperfect pitch are encouraged to take a shot at “stardom” and/or take part in a game play, social network or vocal achievement application architecture that facilitates musical collaboration on a global scale and/or, in some cases or embodiments, to initiate revenue generating in-application transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeannie Yang, Nicholas M. Kruge, Gregory C. Thompson, Perry R. Cook
  • Patent number: 9601128
    Abstract: A voice processing method for use in a communication apparatus, in an embodiment, includes the following steps. A near-end audio signal is received by at least one microphone of the communication apparatus. Voice and noise energy data are generated by performing voice activity detection on the near-end audio signal. A noise amount is obtained by performing noise energy calculation with the noise energy data. Whether the noise amount exceeds a first noise amount threshold is determined. If the noise amount exceeds the first noise amount threshold, a sidetone mode of the communication apparatus is enabled to produce a sidetone signal according to the voice energy data and play the sidetone signal through a speaker thereof. A noise suppression mode is enabled to produce a far-end audio signal according to the voice energy data and transmitting the far-end audio signal by a communication module of the communication apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HTC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chun-Ren Hu, Hann-Shi Tong, Ting-Wei Sun
  • Patent number: 9601130
    Abstract: A method processes an acoustic signal that is a mixture of a target signal and interfering signals by first enhancing the acoustic signal by a set of enhancement procedures to produce a set of initial enhanced signals. Then, an ensemble learning procedure is applied to the acoustic signal and the set of initial enhancement signals to produce features of the acoustic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Le Roux, Shinji Watanabe, John R Hershey
  • Patent number: 9601131
    Abstract: A sound processing device is provided. The sound processing device includes a microphone array and a post filtering module. The microphone array includes microphones aiming to different directions and configured for receiving sound signals. The post filtering module is configured for receiving the sound signals from the microphone array, filtering the sound signals to generate groups of filtered signals each corresponding to one of the sound signals, wherein each of the filtered signals within a group corresponds to one of different frequency bands, generating band signals each based on a comparison of an intensity of one of the filtered signals that corresponds to the same one of the frequency bands in each group of the filtered signals and a noise intensity correlation between the frequency bands and adding the band signals to generate an output sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Lei Chen, Chun-Min Lee, Hann-Shi Tong, Chih-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 9601132
    Abstract: A method comprising: detect a first acoustic signal by using a microphone array; detecting a first angle associated with a first incident direction of the first acoustic signal; and storing, in a memory, a representation of the first acoustic signal and a representation of the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Beakkwon Son, Gangyoul Kim, Namil Lee, Hochul Hwang, Jongmo Kum, Minho Bae
  • Patent number: 9601133
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for vector noise cancellation. Different value combinations for a plurality of weighting factors may be established for a plurality of selection regions. Each value combination for the plurality of weighting factors may correspond to a different combination of a set of input signals. One or more characteristics of input signals may be used to select a particular selection region. A particular value combination of the set of weighting factors may be chosen to attenuate or amplify the input signals to generate one or more output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Jon C. Taenzer, Steven H. Puthuff
  • Patent number: 9601134
    Abstract: A magnetic device according to one embodiment includes a source of flux and a magnetic yoke coupled to the source of flux. The source of flux includes a thin film coil having multiple turns. The magnetic yoke has a pole with two or more gaps, wherein the coil turns have a non-uniform placement in the magnetic yoke for creating a higher magnetic field at one of the gaps than another of the gaps during writing. A magnetic device according to another embodiment includes a source of flux. A geometry of the magnetic pole near or at one of the gaps is different than a geometry of the magnetic pole near or at another of the gaps to help equalize fields formed at the gaps when the source of flux is generating flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert G. Biskeborn, Philipp Herget, Bucknell C. Webb
  • Patent number: 9601135
    Abstract: A device that includes a near field transducer (NFT); at least one cladding layer adjacent the NFT; and a discontinuous metal layer positioned between the NFT and the at least one cladding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky, Michael Allen Seigler, Yongjun Zhao, Jay Jayashankar, Xiaoyue Huang
  • Patent number: 9601136
    Abstract: A data storage device employing a data writer may configure the data writer with at least a write pole that is separated from a front shield on an air bearing surface. The front shield can be arranged to continuously extend from the air bearing surface a first throat height distal the write pole and a second throat height proximal the write pole with the first and second throat heights being different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Muhammad Asif Bashir, JianHua Xue, Beverley R. McConnell, Shengzhou Liao, Wei Tian, Prim Gangmei, Swaraj Basu, Mark A. Gubbins
  • Patent number: 9601137
    Abstract: A method of forming a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor with a composite tunnel barrier comprised primarily of magnesium oxynitride and having a MR ratio of at least 70%, resistance x area (RA) product <1 ohm-?m2, and fewer pinholes than a conventional MgO layer is disclosed. The method involves forming a Mg/MgON/Mg, Mg/MgON/MgN, MgN/MgON/MgN, or MgN/MgON/Mg intermediate tunnel barrier stack and then annealing to drive loosely bound oxygen into adjacent layers thereby forming MgO/MgON/Mg, MgO/MgON/MgON, MgON/MgON/MgON, and MgON/MgON/MgO composite tunnel barriers, respectively, wherein oxygen content in the middle MgON layer is greater than in upper and lower MgON layers. The MgON layer in the intermediate tunnel barrier may be formed by a sputtering process followed by a natural oxidation step and has a thickness greater than the Mg and MgN layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunliang Zhang, Hui-Chuan Wang, Junjie Quan, Min Li
  • Patent number: 9601138
    Abstract: A read head is longitudinally biased unidirectionally by laterally abutting soft magnetic layers or multilayers. The soft magnetic layers are themselves magnetically stabilized by layers of antiferromagnetic material that are exchange coupled to them. The same layers of antiferromagnetic materials can be used to stabilize a unidirectional anisotropy of an overhead shield by means of exchange coupling. By including the antiferromagnetic material layer within the patterned biasing structure itself, an additional layer of antiferromagnetic material that normally covers the entire sensor structure is eliminated. The elimination of an entire layer is also advantageous for reducing the inter-sensor spacing in a TDMR (two dimensional magnetic recording) configuration where two sensor are vertically stacked on top of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Garfunkel, Yan Wu, Junjie Quan, Yewhee Chye
  • Patent number: 9601139
    Abstract: A magneto-resistive (MR) sensor protection circuit is disclosed, for the protection of an MR sensor. The MR sensor may have a safe operating voltage range, a normal operating voltage range within the safe operating voltage range, and two terminals coupled to a read channel circuit, including a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The MR sensor protection circuit may have positive and negative protection threshold voltage ranges. The MR sensor protection circuit may also have a plurality of N-channel field-effect transistors (NFETs) that are coupled to the positive terminal and to the negative terminal, and configured to, in response to a voltage between the two terminals being within either the positive or the negative protection threshold voltage range, limit the voltage between the terminals by shunting current between the positive terminal and the negative terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ephrem G. Gebreselasie, Icko E. T. Iben, Alain Loiseau, Andreas D. Stricker
  • Patent number: 9601140
    Abstract: A procedure for detecting the presence of contamination at a head-disk interface in a heat- assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) hard disk drive involves flying a head slider over a magnetic-recording disk at a particular fly height, applying an oscillating signal to a heat source associated with a HAMR near-field transducer (NFT) that is located in the slider to dither the spacing between the NFT and the disk, and determining, based on change to a contact detection signal, that contamination has accumulated on the slider, generally, or on the NFT, specifically. Burnishing the contamination from the slider may then be performed, by bringing the slider into contact with the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc
    Inventor: Sukumar Rajauria
  • Patent number: 9601141
    Abstract: A tape recording device, method, and computer program product are provided for performing operations of position movement, reading, and writing on a tape medium, and receiving a series of commands from an upper-layer device. The tape recording device includes a buffer for temporarily storing data related to the reading and an append write, a tape for recording the data stored in the buffer, a reading and writing head for reading data from the tape into the buffer and writing the data onto the tape, control means for reading data from a designated position of the tape and storing the data in the buffer, and for writing the data stored in the buffer onto the tape from a written data end position in response to an append write command, and a non-volatile memory for storing data stored in the buffer in response to an append write command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Shiratori, Kohei Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9601142
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for storing and retrieving user data from magnetic recording tracks in a data storage device. In some embodiments, a rotatable data recording medium has a circumferentially extending data track formed from spaced apart embedded servo wedges that extend radially across a recording surface of the medium to define intervening data wedges between each adjacent pair of the servo wedges. Each data wedge along the data track has only a single timing field at a beginning portion of the data wedge immediately adjacent a first servo wedge, followed by a plurality of data sectors that extend across the data wedge to an end portion of the data wedge immediately adjacent a second servo wedge. No inter-sector gaps are provided between the respective data sectors and no additional timing fields are provided between the first and second servo wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jason C. Jury, Xiong Liu, Quan Li
  • Patent number: 9601143
    Abstract: Disturbance rejection in a closed loop multi-actuator system. In some embodiments, a first disturbance observer (DOB) circuit is configured to inject a first disturbance rejection signal into an input control signal of a first stage of a multi-stage actuator. A second DOB circuit is configured to concurrently inject a second disturbance rejection signal into an input control signal of a second stage of the multi-stage actuator. Each of the first and second DOB circuits includes a band pass filter and an energy reducing filter. In some embodiments, the energy reducing filter has at least one notch filter and at least one anti-notch filter. In other embodiments, the energy reducing filter is a low-pass filter (LPF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sangbo Seo, Sung Won Park
  • Patent number: 9601144
    Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) disk drive has a disk with at least two independent data layers (RL1 and RL2), each data layer storing an independent data stream. At a high laser power both RL1 and RL2 are heated to above their respective Curie temperatures and a first data stream is recorded in both RL1 and RL2. At a lower laser power only upper RL2 is heated to above its Curie temperature and a second data stream is recorded only in RL2. The data layers are separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer (SL) that prevents lower RL1 from being heated to above its Curie temperature at low laser power. The first and second data streams are typically asynchronous. Recorded data is read back from both data streams simultaneously as a composite readback signal. A joint Viterbi detector detects the asynchronous data streams simultaneously from the composite readback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Virat Vasav Mehta, James William Reiner, Michael Paul Salo, Roger William Wood
  • Patent number: 9601145
    Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) disk has multiple independent data layers, each data layer being a continuous non-patterned layer of magnetizable material. Each data layer can store data independent and not related to the data stored in the other data layers. The data layers are separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer (SL) and each data layer is formed of high-anisotropy (Ku) material so that the coercivities of lower and upper data layers (RL1 and RL2) are greater than the magnetic write field. At a high laser power both RL1 and RL2 are heated to above their respective Curie temperatures and data is recorded in both RL1 and RL2. At low laser power only upper RL2 is heated to above its Curie temperature and data is recorded only in RL2. The SL prevents lower RL1 from being heated to above its Curie temperature at low laser power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Konrad Grobis, Virat Vasav Mehta, Gregory John Parker, Hal Jervis Rosen, Bruce David Terris
  • Patent number: 9601146
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to a magnetic tape comprising a magnetic layer comprising ferromagnetic powder and binder on a nonmagnetic support, wherein ?SFD in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape as calculated with Equation 1 ranges from 0.35 to 1.50: ?SFD=SFD25° C.?SFD?190° C.??Equation 1 wherein, in Equation 1, SFD25° C. denotes a switching field distribution SFD as measured in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape in an environment with a temperature of 25° C., and SFD?190° C. denotes a switching field distribution SFD as measured in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape in an environment with a temperature of ?190° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Norihito Kasada, Masahito Oyanagi, Toshio Tada
  • Patent number: 9601147
    Abstract: To provide an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus capable of correct positioning, in an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus which branches a light beam into reference light and signal light to cause interference and records an obtained interference fringe as a hologram on an optical information recording medium and reproduces the hologram recorded by applying the reference light onto the optical information recording medium, the apparatus has an image pickup element which detects reproduction light passing through an aperture 101 in reproduction light obtained by applying the reference light onto the optical information recording medium and generates a reproduction signal, photo detectors 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d that are different from the image pickup element and detect reproduction light applied on a location on the periphery of the aperture 101, and a computing unit which computes a position error signal based on outputs from the photo detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Ide
  • Patent number: 9601148
    Abstract: A safety stop mechanism for an automated storage library in which a connector has first and second ends. The first end is configured to contact a door of the automated storage library when the door is in at least a first position. A safety stop is connected to the second end of the connector and adapted to move from a down position to an up position. The safety stop is in the down position when the door is in the first position allowing for travel of the robotic accessor over the safety stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Hartl, Shawn M. Nave
  • Patent number: 9601149
    Abstract: A retrieval assembly (22) for moving storage media (16) within a media library (10), the media library (10) including a rack assembly (20) having a first rack (20A) and a spaced apart second rack (20B), comprises a picker system (32), an assembly base (30), a first mover (28A), a second mover (28B), and a control system (26). The picker system (32) selectively engages the storage media (16). The assembly base (30) supports the picker system (32). The first mover (28A) is secured to the assembly base (30), and selectively moves along the first rack (20A). The second mover (28B) is also secured to the assembly base (30), and selectively moves along the second rack (20B). The second mover (28B) is spaced apart from the first mover (28A). The control system (26) controls independent movement of the first mover (28A) and the second mover (28B) to position the assembly base (30) relative to the storage media (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventors: Christian A. Todd, Alexander Hois, David Tindall, III
  • Patent number: 9601150
    Abstract: A storage media retrieval assembly (22) for moving storage media (16) within a media library (10) including a library housing (12), comprises a picker system (32), an assembly base (30), and a first sensor (240A). The picker system (32) selectively engages the storage media (16). The assembly base (30) supports the picker system (32). The assembly base (30) is movable relative to the library housing (12). The first sensor (240A) senses if the assembly base (30) is level relative to the library housing (12). Additionally, the retrieval assembly (22) can further comprise a mover (28) that is secured to the assembly base (30), the mover (28) selectively moving the assembly base (30) relative to the library housing (12). In alternative embodiments, the first sensor (240A) or a second sensor (238A) can be a home sensor that senses a home position of the mover (28) relative to the library housing (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventors: Christian A. Todd, Alexander Hois, David Tindall, III
  • Patent number: 9601151
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes: detecting a read access to one or more data tracks of a target data storage module; and setting a value of one or more bits in response to detecting the read access to the one or more data tracks, each of the one or more bits being associated with one of the one or more data tracks. The value of the one or more bits is set to a value configured to prevent a copy-on-write operation being applied to the one or more data tracks to which the read access was detected. Corresponding systems and computer program products are similarly disclosed, all of which advantageously improve storage system performance by reducing I/O bandwidth via preventing unnecessary copy operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua J. Crawford, Paul A. Jennas, II, Jason L. Peipelman, Matthew J. Ward
  • Patent number: 9601152
    Abstract: A hard disk drive write drive method and integrated circuit that provide a configurable overshoot current based on the length of the pattern in the write current signal that is being written to the hard disk by the write driver. The hard disk write driver adds a first overshoot current to all patterns in the write current signal and adds an additional second overshoot current to patterns in the write current signal shorter than a first duration. The hard disk drive write driver utilizes an H-bridge circuit configured to add the first overshoot current and the additional second overshoot current to the write current signal. The H-bridge circuit is comprised of four switching elements that are configured to generate a first overshoot current for all pattern transitions of the write current signal and generate a second overshoot current for pattern transitions shorter than the first duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Marius V. Dina
  • Patent number: 9601153
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described to improve the storage and retrieval of video content. The general concepts set forth herein could be used in any video storage system that uses disk drives to store video content, including remote or local storage digital video recorders (DVRs) and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Drew Major, Darren Major, John Michael Paul
  • Patent number: 9601154
    Abstract: A storage device includes a controller that directs incoming data to a storage location based on a capacity of a region or surface of a magnetic disc. According to one implementation, the storage device controller writes new data to data tracks in a first series of data tracks on the magnetic disc until a capacity condition is satisfied. Once the capacity condition is satisfied, the storage device controller writes new data to a second series of data tracks on the storage medium that are interlaced with data tracks of the first series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Wenzhong Zhu, Kaizhong Gao, Edward Gage
  • Patent number: 9601155
    Abstract: One or more processors determine wear for a robotic device. The one or more processors divide a direction of travel of a robotic device into zones. Each zone has an associated counter that counts how many times the robotic device has entered a given zone. The one or more processors update a count for a zone in response to the robotic device entering that zone. The one or more processors determine a level of wear for a component associated with the robotic device. The level of wear is based, at least in part, on a total of counts for the zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn M. Nave, Anh T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9601156
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an input/output system for an ultra high definition image, and more specifically, to an input/output system for an ultra high definition image that may receive an ultra high definition image signal from an external device, process the signal in real time, and output the processed ultra high definition image signal. For this purpose, a system configured to convert data having various resolutions into UHD data of the present invention includes a content input/output device configured to provide data received from a data providing device to an editing device and provide the data received from the editing device to a content reproducing device, and an editing device configured to convert the data received from the content input/output device into UHD data and provide the result to the content input/output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute
    Inventors: Byeong Ho Choi, Je Woo Kim, Hwa Seon Shin
  • Patent number: 9601157
    Abstract: Network-accessible services that provide post-production digital compositing and motion graphics authoring to users who provide their own core content, which the services supplement via a user-driven interface through the inclusion of digital still images, artwork, video, sound, and/or other supplemental content selected by the user. In one embodiment, following selection and sequencing of the various core and supplemental content components, the services automatically generate and make available to a user a finished product that integrates core and supplemental content. To simplify the compositing task, a series of pre-formatted motion graphics video templates may be made available. The end product provided by aspects of the present invention may be a professional-quality ensemble motion graphics video production that may be delivered in any popular format, such as AVI, JPEG, MPEG4 and the like to the customer and or to selected recipients via download or common carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventors: Mark S. Orgill, Michael G. Orgill, David G. Kayo, Mugen Suzuki, Steven Shaun McIntyre
  • Patent number: 9601158
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes a combination candidate selection processing unit. When one moving image is generated by combining a plurality of moving images, the combination candidate selection processing unit judges a possibility of combination between a moving image which is a basis for combination chosen and another moving image based on a predetermined condition. Furthermore, the combination candidate selection processing unit selects, as a candidate of a moving image for a combination target, a moving image that can be combined with the moving image which is a basis for combination, from among other moving images based on a judgment result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Nishizaka
  • Patent number: 9601159
    Abstract: A remotely controlled audio and video recording system (RAVRS) that includes a remote control unit (RCU) and an audio and video recorder (AVR). The AVR, which is located near a speaker's podium, is remotely controlled by an individual operating the RCU. The RAVRS allows the individual to selectively select and “mark” certain passages of a specific lecture for later retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventors: Jorge L. Estrada, Henry Chen, Zachariah Purnajo
  • Patent number: 9601160
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes writing a data set to a first write section of a magnetic medium and rewriting at least some of the data set as rewritten CWI-4 sets to a rewrite section of the magnetic medium. The data set includes a plurality of sub data sets, each sub data set including a data array organized in rows and columns. Each row of the data array includes four interleaved C1 codewords (a CWI-4). A first portion of the data set is stored as CWI-4 sets to the first write section of the magnetic medium with first headers. Each rewritten CWI-4 set is stored to the rewrite section of the magnetic medium as a number of rewritten CWI-4s having corresponding rewrite headers. Also, a length of any one of the rewrite headers is greater than a length of any one of the first headers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Bentley, Roy D. Cideciyan, Simeon Furrer, Kenji Ohtani
  • Patent number: 9601161
    Abstract: Hard disk drives of the invention are wrapped in wraps for enhanced sealing of the hard disk drive. Wrapped hard disk drives of the invention comprise: an enclosed hard disk drive housing comprising a base and a cover enclosed around internal components for facilitating reading and recording of data at a desired location on at least one disk contained within the housing; and a wrap wrapped and metallically sealed around the enclosed hard disk drive housing in an at least partially overlapping manner to form the wrapped hard disk drive and prevent undesired migration therethrough such that a sealed environment exists within the wrapped hard disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: entroteech, inc.
    Inventors: James E. McGuire, Jr., Andrew C. Strange
  • Patent number: 9601162
    Abstract: A device includes a memory array, a first data line, and a second data line. The memory array includes a first strap cell, a first sub-bank, and a second sub-bank, in which the first strap cell is disposed between the first sub-bank and the second sub-bank. The first data line has a first portion and a second portion, in which the first portion of the first data line is disconnected from the second portion of the first data line, and the second portion of the first data line is configured to couple the first sub-bank to a first input/output (I/O) circuit. The second data line and the first portion of the first data line are configured to couple the second sub-bank to the first I/O circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jonathan Tsung-Yung Chang, Cheng-Hung Lee, Chi-Ting Cheng, Hung-Jen Liao, Jhon-Jhy Liaw, Yen-Huei Chen
  • Patent number: 9601163
    Abstract: A memory module is provided which includes a printed circuit board; first semiconductor packages provided on one surface of the printed circuit board; and second semiconductor packages provided on the other surface of the printed circuit board, the first semiconductor packages and the second semiconductor packages having semiconductor dies that form ranks. A number of the ranks formed by the first semiconductor packages being different from a number of the ranks formed by the second semiconductor packages. Semiconductor packages forming a same one of the ranks receive a chip selection signal in common and semiconductor packages forming other ranks receive a different chip selection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-Hyung Song, Kyoungsun Kim, Yong-Jin Kim, Jaejun Lee, Sangseok Kang, Jungjoon Lee
  • Patent number: 9601164
    Abstract: An array structure of a single-poly nonvolatile memory includes a first MTP section and a first OTP section. The first MTP section includes a plurality of MTP cells and the first OTP section includes a plurality of OTP cells. The first MTP is connected to a first word line, a first source line, a first erase line and a plurality of bit lines. The first OTP section is connected to a second word line, a second source line and the plurality of bit lines shared with the first MTP section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: EMEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Wei-Ren Chen, Wen-Hao Lee
  • Patent number: 9601165
    Abstract: Embodiments include a sense amplifier circuit including first and second paths that may be selectively coupled to a memory cell or a reference cell as part of a two-phase read process. The sense amplifier may include a biasing circuit to provide an adaptive bias voltage to a transistor of the first and/or second path to cause the transistor to provide a voltage across the memory cell and/or reference cell that is substantially constant across process corners. Additionally, or alternatively, the sense amplifier may include a DC-coupled regenerative latch circuit to generate a digital output signal based on a voltage difference between nodes of the first and second paths at or near the end of the second phase. Additionally, or alternatively, trimmable offset resistors may adjust a resistance value provided to the sense amplifier by the memory cell and/or reference cells. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventors: Cyrille Dray, El Mehdi Boujamaa